ON STAGE THEATER & MUSIC. MUSIC NOTES.

Soaring with Atmosphere's hip-hop

June 14, 2002|By Moira McCormick. Special to the Tribune. Contributing: Talib Mustafa

For a celebrated underground rapper who has sold tens of thousands of his group Atmosphere's mold-breaking, influential indie recordings, the Minneapolis MC known as Slug is disarmingly self-effacing.

Atmosphere, who appear Monday at Metro, have just released their fourth full-length album, "God Loves Ugly," and Slug (real name Sean Daley) says he's satisfied with the results. But he has eyebrow-raising advice for Atmosphere fans.

Slug is cell-phoning from somewhere in the Twin Cities on a late-May afternoon, savoring a bit of down time. "See how rapping has been very, very good to me," he says, noting that 9-to-5ers are stuck at their desks, while "I'm allowed to sit at a picnic table and watch traffic."

In fact, sales of Atmosphere's previous CDs "Overcast!" and "Lucy Ford," and other recordings on Slug's highly regarded hip-hop label, Rhyme Sayers Entertainment, have been robust enough that Atmosphere has been flying, not driving, to gigs on its current tour. And there's no big-league record label anywhere in sight.

"I don't want to sound all indie-elitist," says the self-described conscious rapper, who's 29, "but I would be happy if it stayed like this for another five years. If I could stay a positive influence on these kids awhile, then after I'm forced to quit rappin', I can play some type of behind-the-scenes role."

For now, though, Slug is front and center with Atmosphere, which also includes producer Ant (who doesn't tour; in concert, Slug will be joined by DJ Mr. Dibbs and fellow MC Crescent Moon). Ant dishes up sparse, dreamy yet edgy beats, over which Slug lets fly his vivid, often confessional lyrics the producer frequently favors left-field instrumental choices, such as the classical harp which ripples cherubically through "Sound is Vibration," from "Overcast!"

While Slug maintains he's financially content with Atmosphere's independent status, he's consistently striving to reach mainstream hip-hop fans --who, he feels, are getting a warped worldview from rap's more hedonistic megastars. Mind you, he notes, "I can go to a Puff Daddy show and have a good time, because the people are having a good time. Ja Rule is dope; he's got 40-year-old women feelin' him. You can't knock all that, 'cause it's love, you know what I mean?"

Still, Slug warns, "I think a lot of where hip-hop is going is genocidal. The only thing [it's doing] is teaching kids how to get drunk." He understands that "people gotta look truth in the face every day, and this fantasy rap takes 'em away from it. It's a big escape, and if you need that, I feel you, man --go listen to that Three 6 Mafia tape and escape a minute.

"But there's gotta be a yin to the yang, and artists like us are that yin."